Literature Forms, Genres, and Medieval Literary Periods

Understanding Literature: Forms, Genres, and Historical Context

Literature is a profound form of artistic expression that utilizes oral or written language as its primary medium. It can be broadly categorized into two fundamental forms: verse and prose.

• Verse: In verse, the work is composed with the deliberate intention of creating rhythmic sensations, often through the repetition of elements like meter, rhyme, or specific sound patterns.
• Prose: In contrast, prose lacks a consistent rhythm or the systematic repetition of elements found in verse. It mirrors the natural flow of everyday speech and writing.

Literary Genres: Categorizing Artistic Expression

Literary genres are categories that allow us to group literary texts based on their common features, structures, and thematic concerns. Traditionally, three main genres are distinguished:

Narrative Genre

In the narrative genre, a narrator recounts, in their own words, the actions and experiences of characters. This genre encompasses various forms, including:

• Epic: An extensive narrative poem recounting mythical or legendary events, often involving a hero and the destiny of a people.
• Epic Poem (or Chanson de Geste): A medieval poem that chronicles the exploits of a historical or legendary hero.
• Short Story: A concise and simple narrative account, typically focusing on a single plot line and a limited number of characters.
• Novel: An extensive narrative exploring the actions of complex characters, often featuring multiple plot lines, diverse settings, and various textual elements.

Lyrical Genre

The lyrical genre is characterized by the author's direct expression of their real or fictitious feelings, emotions, and perceptions of the world. It primarily focuses on subjective experience rather than external events. Key forms include:

• Song (Canción): A poetic composition often intended to be sung, expressing personal feelings.
• Elegy: A mournful, melancholic, or reflective poem, especially one lamenting the dead.
• Ode: A lyrical poem, typically addressed to a particular subject, often expressing elevated emotion.

Dramatic Genre

The dramatic genre unfolds through the actions of characters, primarily conveyed through dialogue. It is intended for performance on a stage. This genre comprises:

• Tragedy: A play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.
• Comedy: A play characterized by its humorous or satirical tone and its depiction of amusing people or incidents, typically with a happy ending.
• Drama: A broad term for plays that are not strictly tragedies or comedies, often exploring serious themes with realistic portrayals.

Medieval Literature: A Historical Perspective

The Middle Ages, spanning from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 CE) to the discovery of America (1492 CE), and encompassing the Arab presence (711 CE) and the Reconquista culminating in the fall of the Kingdom of Granada (1492 CE), was a period profoundly shaped by religion. During this era, religion became a primary source of inspiration for literature and art. The figure of the hero, characterized by honesty and piety, became a key element of medieval literature.

Medieval literature is generally divided into two main periods:

Medieval Period (10th-14th Century)

This period, from the tenth century to the fourteenth century, saw the emergence of the first literary signs in Castilian. Literature from this time is characterized by several features:

• Oral Transmission: Much of the literature was transmitted orally through singing and recitation, meaning written copies were often scarce or non-existent.
• Anonymous Character: The majority of medieval works were anonymous, with authorship rarely attributed.
• Didacticism: Many works served a moral, religious, or educational purpose, aiming to instruct or edify the audience.

Pre-Renaissance Period (15th Century)

The fifteenth century marked a significant evolutionary change in society, fostering a new mentality that laid the groundwork for the Renaissance. Literature of this period began to show transitional characteristics.

Cantigas de Amigo: Galician-Portuguese Poetic Forms

The Cantigas de Amigo are a unique form of Galician-Portuguese poetic composition. In these songs, a woman expresses her sorrow or longing for the absence of her beloved, whom she affectionately refers to as "friend." They are primarily characterized by their distinctive use of parallelism in the verses, creating a repetitive and often melancholic rhythm.